1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to apparatus for converting engines utilizing petroleum products as a fuel to engines utilizing alcohol, and methanol and ethanol, in particular, as a fuel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The great usage of the traveling public of motorized vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines is well known. Equally well known and long recognized is the pollutant problem of the internal combustion engine when operated with conventional petroleum fuels. Pollution of the atmosphere, because of the exhaust discharge of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, has been a cause of alarm in many of the world's larger cities and metropolitan areas. Many devices have been created and many techniques employed in attempting to reduce the pollutants of the petroleum fed internal combustion engines. Conversion units utilizing liquid petroleum gas, propane, have been somewhat successful in lowering pollution but have by no means eliminated the toxic substances produced by burning the petroleum fuels. Furthermore, many of the pollution reducing devices result in a decrease of the thermal efficiency of the engine.
Alcohols, and particularly methanol and ethanol, have received much attention as potential non-polluting fuels. Use of these fuels, however, have not been satisfactory largely because of low efficiency and poor starting characteristics when used with a cold engine. Several devices, such as those disclosed by Noguchi et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,072 and Alm et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,376 have attempted to utilize methanol as a secondary fuel to supplement the primary petroleum fuels to obtain greater efficiency. The petroleum pollution problem still remains, as does the dependence on oil. Oswald et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,997, has sought to increase efficiency of the alcohols by a device which adjusts the advance of the fuel injection in cooperation with a controlled ignition device. Oswald, as do conventional non-vapor type carburetors, injects atomized droplets of the fuel in an air mixture to the intake ports of the engine.